Cost of Living Comparison Between Ibra and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Ibra and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $847 per month in Ibra vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,270 per month in Ibra vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,693 per month in Ibra vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Ibra is about 33% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Ibra and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Ibra 37% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.16 OMR 1.99

$11.99 MX$209

-56.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.23 OMR 10.09

$41.78 MX$727

-37.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.73 OMR 2.98

$10.75 MX$187

-28.09%

Cappuccino

$4.93 OMR 1.90

$3.50 MX$60.8

40.86%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.01 OMR 0.39

$1.45 MX$25.21

-30.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 OMR 0.12

$0.88 MX$15.40

-63.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.37 OMR 4.76

$2.95 MX$51.3

319.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.64 OMR 4.48

$4.51 MX$78.5

158.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.01 OMR 0.77

$1.43 MX$24.92

40.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.24 OMR 0.48

$1.84 MX$31.98

-32.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.66 OMR 0.64

$1.57 MX$27.30

5.73%

Eggs

$2.37 OMR 0.91

$2.51 MX$43.72

-5.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.80 OMR 1.46

$8.28 MX$144

-54.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.98 OMR 1.92

$8.43 MX$147

-40.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.35 OMR 3.22

$10.68 MX$186

-21.82%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 OMR 1.00

$2.61 MX$45.40

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 OMR 0.66

$1.44 MX$25.03

20.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 OMR 0.71

$1.96 MX$34.15

-5.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.18 OMR 0.46

$2.09 MX$36.45

-43.54%

Potato (1kg)

$1.01 OMR 0.39

$1.85 MX$32.22

-45.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 OMR 0.39

$2.17 MX$37.72

-53.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 OMR 0.42

$1.03 MX$17.95

4.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 OMR 0.20

$1.07 MX$18.69

-51.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.29 OMR 2.42

$4.10 MX$71.4

53.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.77 OMR 6.07

$10.17 MX$177

55.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.41 OMR 1.70

$1.68 MX$29.15

162.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.86 OMR 3.02

$2.53 MX$43.96

210.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.86

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 OMR 1.20

$3.23 MX$56.3

-3.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.80 OMR 0.31

$2.41 MX$41.86

-66.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.31 OMR 3.97

$3.23 MX$56.2

219.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.65 OMR 0.25

$1.32 MX$22.99

-50.76%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$23.2K OMR 8,939

$29.7K MX$516.8K

-21.80%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$21.8K OMR 8,389

$23.7K MX$411.8K

-7.89%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$107 OMR 41.17

$82.0 MX$1,427

30.42%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$41.12 OMR 15.83

$22.95 MX$399

79.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.0 OMR 26.57

$30.11 MX$524

129.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.11 OMR 11.97

$52.0 MX$904

-40.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.34 OMR 7.06

$18.53 MX$322

-1.03%

Cinema Ticket

$7.09 OMR 2.73

$4.98 MX$86.6

42.37%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$196 OMR 75.6

$197 MX$3,436

-0.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,833 OMR 3,785

$5,336 MX$92.9K

84.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.0 OMR 19.64

$35.60 MX$619

43.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.28 OMR 15.12

$40.33 MX$702

-2.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.3 OMR 30.13

$78.8 MX$1,370

-0.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.9 OMR 33.46

$88.9 MX$1,548

-2.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,249

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,220 OMR 1,624

$654 MX$11.4K

545.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.15

11.42

-54.90%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Ibra: July 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 545% higher in Ibra, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $26.00 in Ibra versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $232 vs $249 – making Ibra the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Ibra vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen costs about 48% more than Ibra, with the gap driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,270 per month in Ibra and $1,884 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $847 in Ibra and $1,256 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $196 per month in Ibra and $197 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Ibra, where all-in costs run around $847, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. In Ibra it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Ibra costs $847 versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Ibra. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.